Your Questions About Shingles

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Joe Homps

Maria asks…

shingles contagious period I want to know shingles contagious period?

Pls can someone tell me when is shingles contagious period I want to know Shingles Contagious Period so that I will not contact it from my friend.

admin answers:

Are you talking of shingles contagious period? Well if that’s what you meant, you can only contact shingles if you have chickenpox but I think the best thing that you need to do for your friend is to look for a cure so that he will be free from the shingle, check the site below it will guide you on how to cure it within 3 days

Daniel asks…

How contagious is shingles?

I heard that shingles are only contagious through direct contact. By direct contact does mean directly touching the infected area or just touching in general or kissing? What would you recommend one to do to speed up the recovery process for shingles?

admin answers:

They mean direct contact with the blister fluid. Once the blisters are all scabbed over, the person is no longer contagious.

Direct contact with the shingles blister fluid can give someone chickenpox if they’ve never had chickenpox or the vaccine. A person who has had chickenpox or the vaccine can decrease their risk of developing shingles in the future by coming into contact with shingles blister fluid.

A person with shingles cannot give someone else shingles.

I’m sorry, I don’t have the answer to your last question. I try to re-expose myself to chickenpox a few times per decade, so hopefully I’ll never have to experience shingles. The incidence of shingles has gone way up since the chickenpox vaccine began being widely used. When people are not exposed often enough to people with chickenpox, they are at much higher risk of developing shingles.

Richard asks…

is shingles contagious ? I want to know?

I want to know if shingles is contagious one of my brother have it and I don’t want it to transfer it to me.

admin answers:

Yes, it is contagious but you shouldn’t be afraid of it
because there are many ways you can cure it very fast.

Thomas asks…

Are shingles contagious through the air?

Before I got diagnosed with Shingles I was hanging out with a few friends and I was wondering if shingles are contagious through the air. I already had the red bumps before I got diagnosed so I hope none of my friends caught the shingles from me. They told me that they already had chicken pox before, so can they catch the shingles from me through the air? Also what is the best suggestion for speeding up the healing process for shingles?
By direct contact do you mean directly touching the infected area or just touching in general or kissing?

admin answers:

Shingles NOT airborne passed through direct contact
take antiviral medications if prescribed by your medical doctor ~~ Acyclovir (Zovirax)
Valacyclovir (Valtrex)
Famciclovir (Famvir)
avoid stress take cool baths use anti itch cream take antihistamines orally if not allergic
however check with your prescribing medical doctor before doing anything on own

Mark asks…

What are Shingles and are they contagious?

medical problem caused by the chicken pox virus

admin answers:

Shingles is the layman’s term for herpes zoster, or h. Zoster for short.

If you’ve had chicken pox, you recovered but the virus that caused it, varicella-zoster virus, or VZV, didn’t leave your system. It retreated into spinal nerves and went dormant. We’re not exactly sure what causes a reactivation, an “awakening” of VZV but it may be a great stress of some sort, psychological (emotional/mental) or physiological (illness/physical). In any event, when VZV is reactivated it moves out along spinal nerve pathways, usually around one side of the trunk, and causes a painful rash that wraps around one side of the trunk. The nerve pathway can follow spinal nerves that service the trunk, neck or even face. An outbreak begins with tingling and painful burning. Then a rash develops in a stripe-like pattern that is almost always one-sided. Blisters develop that break open and drain. Then the rash heals.

The condition, h. Zoster, is NOT contagious. One person having an outbreak of h. Zoster cannot “give” h. Zoster to another. The virus, VZV, CAN be transmitted during an outbreak. The rash involved includes blisters that open and drain and VZV is in the blister fluid and in the open blisters. Only those who have never had chicken pox nor have been vaccinated against it are vulnerable to VZV and the only thing they can get is chicken pox. You have to have had chicken pox first to develop herpes zoster later on.

Most people experience a significant amount of pain and therefore keep the blisters well covered. It requires direct repeated or prolonged contact with drainage to transmit the virus in sufficient numbers to cause chicken pox. It’s unlikely to be transmitted through casual contact. And again if a person has already has chicken pox or has been vaccinated, there’s no need to worry.

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Your Questions About Shingles

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Joe Homps

Daniel asks…

Is this shingles?

Man, this is getting ridiculous! First I had the flu for 10 days, and now one side of my back, from my shoulder down to below my shoulder blade, is killing me. Little blisters are popping up in a sort of line. Sounds like what I know of shingles. I thought only “old” people suffered from this (…not that I’m not old but I’m 45). Do you think this sounds like shingles? Man does it hurt. I can’t even wear a bra and fabric just touching that area makes me cringe. If you think it is shingles, what would cause me to have it? And do you know if it’s contagious? Thank you so much for your help. I’m so tired of being miserable.

admin answers:

Ouch it sounds like shingles, especially as it is only affecting one side of the body.

Shingles causes a painful rash of small blisters, appearing in a band on one side of the chest, back, shoulders or upper face.

The first sign of shingles is a burning pain or tingling sensation, or an itch prior to the outbreak of the rash/blisters, which are very bloody painful. And the rash/blisters remains any where from 2-14 days. If signs of shingles is picked up early your doctor can give you an antiviral drug which may lessen the severity of the attack.

Shingles is more common in people with weak immune systems. The immune system is responsible for fighting off infections, germs and foreign materials. And if feeling unwell or stressed, this may bring on an attack of shingles.

I have had the misfortune to I have suffered from two shingles attacks, and I am under the age of 45, but I have a weaken immune system.

The links below will give information about shingles, and even show you some pictures of the rash/blisters.

Hope you feel better soon, and that you don’t have any post herpetic (shingles) pain.

Jenny asks…

In the past few months I’ve had numb spots on my chin, upper arm,. lower leg, etc.?

It’s all topical, and they’ve all eventually gone away, but now I have one one on my hand and I can hardly move it! It’s like when you sleep on it wrong, but then you get pins and needles and you’re ok in about 1/2 hour, He said it would take about 3 months to heal! Well it’s been 3 days and I have NO use of my hand! The dr. said I’d slept om i wrong and killed nerves , In that case, shouldn’t it cause pain? Like shingles?They gave me nothing, and i had to get stitches on a broken toe too! .Does anyone know what this might be?

admin answers:

Since it comes and goes and the mention of pins and needles, it may be peripheral neuritis. But it certainly needs more investigations.
All the best!

Betty asks…

Rust stained roofing shingles. Will it eat thru the shingles? What can remove the stain safely.?

A TV antenna which was strapped to the chimney caused rust stains on the roofing shingles below it. It is ugly. Will it damage the shingles and what short of a new roof can remove the stains?

admin answers:

Short answer: The rust stain will not damage otherwise sound shingles.

Stain removal (if possible) will depend on the type of shingle. Wooden shakes will absorb the stain and short of heroic measures you will have a very difficult time removing it entirely. Asphalt or glass shingles will eventually shed the stain as they age – but that may take some time.

Options to speed the process are, if wood, scrubbing with Oxalic Acid (wood bleach) – follow package directions, if asphalt or glass, scrubbing with mild soap or low-pressure power-washing. DO NOT use a high-pressure power-wash on shingles of any nature – you can damage the shingles or remove the mineral-surface coating. Note that if you clean this section, it may become a different color than the rest of the roof as a result of your cleaning.

Keep in mind that this is a roof. It is exposed to the elements, ages over time and will, depending on exposure and material change color, or grow moss or stain from bird droppings, acid rain, standing snow, whatever.

Be safe, whatever you do.

John asks…

How do you get rid of Shingles inside your body?

My father has not been feeling well. He went to the doctor yesterday and the doctor told him that he had shingles inside his body. The doctor gave him some pain medicine and told him there is no cure it will just go away. He told him this was cause from stress. Any help on what he could do or take to help get rid of these shingles inside his body.

admin answers:

I’m a physician assistant and have an answer for you.
Shingles is a virus that is also a part of the chicken pox virus. When you are young you get chicken pox, when you are old you get shingles from the same virus. Unfortunately, your doctor is right, it can’t be cured. It comes about in times of stress and is pretty painful. There is a medication called Acyclovir that can prevent the outbreaks before they get bad. Usually you begin taking the mediation when you feel an episode come on (tingling sensation or mild pain where the outbreak is going to occur) and it prevents the outbreak from progressing to a painful situation. If i were you, i would ask your doctor or Physician Assistant about Acyclovir. We prescribe it frequently for people with exactly the same problem. Hope that helped!

Sandra asks…

What could cause surface skin pain with no sign of irritation?

Occasionally, the skin on my upper back becomes extremely sensitive and painful. It only hurts on the skin, with no muscle pain, rash, or redness. This is with no previous damage or exposure – it comes up out of nowhere. My bra straps and shirt hurt it. Sometimes it gets so sensitive even my hair brushing against my back hurts. It feels like a sunburn. My mother considered shingles, but there are never any blisters. What else could be causing this?

admin answers:

There aren’t always blisters with Shingles. I would, however, expect the pain to be deeper, as it has to do with nerves.
My guess, from your description, would be a lack of oxygen in the veins. This is easily tested.

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Your Questions About Shingles

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Joe Homps

Donna asks…

Why did/do I have shingles 38 times? I’m 45. Had required blood work. Normal.?

They started almost 4 years ago. Followed by numerous other ailments including, full hyterectomy, infections (too many to list),and then a diagnoses of Fibromyalgia. Before all this began I was extremely active (Blabk Belt in TKD, taught Cardio Kickboxing classes for 2 years, etc. Have been to an Infectious Disease Specialist (put on Valtrex Regime), Nuerologist (Myopothy, Nueropothy, FMS), RA Specialist (FMS). No one can tell me why. I have also have PHN twice. I get them on my trunk – right side. Little foggy right now, but I hope this is enough info. If not, please ask. I want my life back.
Yes, HIV tested – negative
New vaccine is not an option for me. you must be 60 or older. Do not know why.

admin answers:

May want to try that new shingles vaccine.

Sorry can’t help with solving the underlying reason why this is occuring. Sounds like your immune system is out of whack. Maybe stress reduction and see a therapist.

HIV tested?

Age 60 because majority of case of shingles occur after the age of 60. In addition, the studies used to get FDA approval studied people 60 and over. Since you are get recurrent episodes of shingles, the vaccines would make good sense or at least worth a try. The only problem may be you insurance may not cover it.
In regards to nerd at hearts comment that the vaccine may not work could be true because your immune system may not mount a response to the vaccine and develop antibodies.

Lizzie asks…

(not) sexually transmitted disease?

I’ve been noticing sores “down there”
I’ve never had any sort of sexual contact with anyone.

Some of my background information (may or may not be useful)
-I’m a female
-I had shingles as a kid
-I have hypertension/MVP
-I’m 5’5 and weigh 122 lbs.

I really don’t feel comfortable talking to my mom about it.
So I just want some ideas as to what it could be.

admin answers:

This can be related to the shingles. Although embarrassing your mom is the one to talk to because you have symptoms and you need to see a doctor who can properly diagnose you and treat you. Does it burn really bad when you pee? Are the sores open? Or are they like bubbled?
Do you have a lot of discharge?
Please please please talk to your mom, she may have a peek at it. Trust her. She loves you more than you know and your mom will make sure that the doctor does all that they can for you. Not all bumps down there are sexually contracted and the doctor will be able to get rid of them and your mom will believe you when you tell her that you are not sexually active. Moms are just like that and even though we are hard on our children at times, we really want them to trust us enough to let us in…. Even if our children are sexually active or have made a mistake. Your mom will be able to go with you and comfort you and let you know that everything is going to be okay. You allowing her and confiding in her will bring the two of you closer together and this can become a very strong bond between the two of you. Even if your mom questions you about sex just be honest with her. Your doctor will diagnose you and will be able to confirm this for your mom. Do not hesitate much longer, sweetie, you need medical attention.

Take Care!

William asks…

My aunt has shingles.?

I’ve already had chicken pox, but my son(age 3) has not. If I’m around my aunt, can I carry the disease to my son? And no, he won’t be anywhere around her.

admin answers:

Not unless the liquid from the blisters touch him he should be fine.

Donald asks…

i have shingles, and i was wondering…..?

Can anyone tell me more about the disease, or lead me to a good website about it? I’m going back to the doctor tuesday, and now i’m more curious i’ll ask way more questions, but i want some of those answer now.
ok, i but i thought herpes was an STD, how does that work?

admin answers:

136 JOHN MURTAGH’S PATIENT EDUCATION, FIFTH EDITION © MCGRAW-HILL
Who gets herpes zoster?
Th is relatively common disease is unpredictable and a
person of any age can be aff ected. It is seen more oft en
in people over the age of 50; sometimes children will get
it during a chickenpox epidemic.
Is it contagious?
Yes, but only mildly. Rarely, children might acquire
chicken pox aft er contact with someone who has herpes
zoster, but it would be very unusual to ‘catch’ herpes
zoster from another person. It is spread when the person
comes into contact with the fl uid in the blisters.
Can the problem recur?
It is possible but most unlikely. One attack generally
protects you from a second attack and gives lifelong
immunity.
Myths about herpes zoster
It is not true that it is a dangerous disease or that the
patient will go insane. Another myth is that a person
will die if the rash spreads from both sides and meets
in the middle: this is nonsense.
For the majority, herpes zoster is a mild disease and
an excellent recovery can be expected.
What is the treatment?
Th ere is no cure for this viral infection, but you should
see a doctor without delay because proper treatment may
reduce the severity of the illness and the likelihood of
pain aft er the sores have healed. You should:
• Rest as much as possible.
• Take simple pain-killers, such as aspirin or paracetamol,
regularly.
• Avoid overtreating the rash, which may get infected.
Calamine lotion may be soothing, but removal of the
calamine crust can be painful. A drying lotion such
as menthol in fl exible collodion is better.
• Modern antiviral drugs are very eff ective, especially for
more severe cases, and are usually prescribed during
the fi rst 3 days from the onset of the rash.
What is post-herpetic neuralgia?
Th is is the condition of sharp burning or stabbing pain
in the nerve aft er the rash of shingles has disappeared.
It is more common in older people and in the nerves
on the face. It can persist for months but can be treated
with special medication.
What is herpes zoster?
Herpes zoster is an infection in a nerve by the virus that
causes chickenpox (varicella). Th e term comes from
the Greek herpes (to creep) and zoster (a belt or girdle).
Shingles is from the Latin cingere (to gird) or cingulum
(a belt). It results in a skin rash with blisters and pain.
How does it occur?
Contact with someone with chickenpox may cause it,
but usually it is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus
lying dormant (oft en for many years) in the root of a
nerve in the brain or spinal cord. Th e dormant virus
can be stirred into activity by stress or by the loss of
natural immunity as we get older. Th e virus multiplies
and spreads down the nerves, causing pain in the nerve
in which it resides.
Where does it occur?
Almost any part of the body can be involved, but common
sites are the right or left side of the chest or abdomen
and the face.
What are the symptoms?
Apart from feeling unwell, sometimes with a fever, the
main symptoms are pain and a rash.
Pain
• Th is can vary from mild to severe.
• It is burning in nature, but can be knife-like.
• It precedes the rash and lasts for 1 to 4 weeks aft er the
blisters disappear; it can persist for several weeks.
• It always improves in time.
Rash
Groups of blisters appear in the skin that is supplied
by the nerve. Th ey itch and become crusted. Th e rash
disappears aft er about 7 days but will leave scars or
discoloured skin.
Herpes zoster (shingles)
Herpes zoster
virus lives
in nerve root
virus spreads
down nerve
typical area
of rash

Thomas asks…

What is this called on a horse?

There’s this disease that horses get and its driving me crazy that I can’t remember what it’s called!!
The horse will get a abscess like lump on them and it’s deadly if it’s not drained. And highly contagious.
I think it starts with an S but it’s not shingles! -.- this is driving me nuts.
AHH thank you ! i couldnt remember the name for the life of me!

admin answers:

Strangles.

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Your Questions About Shingles

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Joe Homps

James asks…

Professional Doctor answer needed: What happens when a women who is pregnant gets shingles?

When a woman gets the varicella-zoster (herpes zoster) aka shingles virus and she is pregnant, can the baby be affected by this?

admin answers:

Herpes zoster (shingles) during pregnancy will not affect the fetus. Antibodies in the bloodstream will prevent the virus from crossing the placenta. Primary infection (chickenpox) is more problematic, but shingles is not.

Michael asks…

I have shingles, but never had chicken pox before?

I recently had a case of shingles (Herpes zoster), which according to some sites are after-effect symptoms of chicken pox. However, I never had chicken pox before, is this possible and if so, do I have no risk of chicken pox in the future?

admin answers:

I don’t really think it is possible. Check out this website. It is possible though that you could have had a very mild case of chickenpox or maybe you have chickenpox before you were one. Once again, check out this webstite. I don’t think you have the risk of chickenpox if you have already had shingles. Did you go to the doctor and be sure that is was shingles and maybe not some other kind of skin irritant? If you are sure it was shingles then, most likely you should have had chickenpox at some point. Were you vaccinated for chickenpox? If so that would be an intersting study.

Lizzie asks…

gential herpes or herpes zoster?

I am a 20 year old female. I have only had sex with 4 people. The last person is my bf of over 3 years who was a virgin when i met him. I recently started to feel a lot of pain, redness and swelling on the outer right side of my labia. A few days later they turned into red blisters and now are turning very dark..alsmost black. Now i noticed i’m getting a patch of the same red blisters in two different areas on the right side of my buttocks. At first i assumed i had genital herpes. However, after doing research and noticing they are only appearing on the right side of my body, and because they are turning so dark i’m wondering if instead i have herpes zoster or shingles? If anyone has experience please lease let me know!!

admin answers:

It sounds like genital herpes which is anything below the belt and includes your genitals, your buttocks, anus, legs and thighs. My site of preference has been my right cheek for over 25 years.

Get yourself to a Dr. And ask for the herpes test. It is NOT a part of normal std screenings.

Paul asks…

My mom has eye shingles, now she is blind in one eye! Can she recover?

My mom has had shingles (herpes zoster) in her right eye. She went to the doctor for it after two months of dealing with the pain. It eventually moved to her left eye as well, but she got to the doctor in time and the right eye seems to be recovering, but her original right eye still is bad. Now this weekend when she had a coughing spell her right eye went out COMPLETELY! We are extremely scared and worried. Is there any change she may recover? Or is it too late?

admin answers:

I know exactly what you are talking about.The same thing happened to my mom.The doctor she went to see also sent her to an eye doctor and he prescribed drops for her eye(very expensive drops).But now her eyesight is worse also.I would suggest that she go back to the doctor for a follow-up.There is a good chance of full recovery with the proper medical attention.

Sandy asks…

Does stopping Effexor suddenly increase the chances of someone getting Shingles?

I was taking Effexor for about 2-3 months, and then just stopped taken them suddenly…I know that the doctors don’t recommend this, but I just kept on forgetting to take my pill, and didn’t feel that it was necessary. Anyways, it’s been just less than 1 months now, and out of the blue, at age 22, I was dignosed with Herpes Zoster (Shingles), which is commonly caused from stress…..do you think that i got shigles because of stopping the effexor?????

admin answers:

Zoster infection is actually not uncommon at any age. It shows itself as “shingles” when it is triggered by any stress to the body, thought to activate the virus by temporarily weakening the immune system. This is because shingles is actually an aggrevation of a pre-existing, dormant viral infection by stress.
Common stressors include any viral/bacterial infection (like a common cold), physical/emotional stress, sleep deprivation, the list goes on and on…
Summary – Its possible that stopping your effexor suddenly (which is a BAD move btw – you should always wean off gradually) put a stress on your body that simply acted as the trigger to activate your pre-exisisting Herpes Zoster infection into a full-blown bout of shingles. However your trigger may have been completely unrelated to the effexor…

I’m assuming you saw your doctor allready?

Does this help? For more info try this link http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1007.htm

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Your Questions About Shingles

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Joe Homps

Susan asks…

What can I do if a roofing contractor has not started my roof two weeks after the expiration of his contract?

I signed a contract for a new roof on 4-18-08 to be completed by 5-21-08, but they have not started on it yet. I have paid 1500.00 upfront, to which I keep thinking I will not get back for work that has not even began. He will not call us, and will not answer his phone. I am supplying materials in which pallets of shingles have been killing my grass. I have had a dumpster in my driveway for all that time, thinking it would be started on 4-20-08. So now I know I am out 400 for the dumpster. How do I get my money back? Please help. To make things more, I just did a license check and found his roofing license is expired! I am not sure of the next step I should take in the process!!!!!!!!!!!!!

admin answers:

You simply sue him for breach of contract,for the cost of the dumpster..and the cost to replace your lawn for it would not have happened if he kept his contract….You may also see about sueing him for an additional amount for fraud if the license was expired when you signed the contract if he said and represented himself as being liscened at the time…You may also sue him for interest on the money you have given him the maximum amount of what your state allows..

David asks…

How late in the season can a roof be reshingled?

We signed a contract to have our roof redone at the beginning of September, saying it would be 3-4 weeks out on the work. However, it’s about 30 degrees here now & probably going to start snowing within the next week or two & they still haven’t started the work. My husband said if it is too cold, they can’t do the work because the shingles won’t go together right or something along those lines. Is that true? What temps would make it too cold for them to complete the work?
We had a verbal agreement that the work would start 3-4 weeks out- which would have been the end of September. The high today is 40 degrees.

admin answers:

Shingles have adhesive on them. Even though you nail them down, they are made so that heat from the sun melts the glue and seals them. It don’t necessarily have to be hot weather to do this, but if it cold enough to snow i would question whether or not they would seal properly.

Ruth asks…

Are there toxic fumes coming into my house? funny smell? is it harmful or poisonous? what is causing this?

In my house there are upstair attic rooms with sloping ceilings. The ceilings are very close to the top of the roof. A couple of weeks ago i had some guys come over to redo the tiling on the roof of my house. I had asbestos shingles removed. I could clearly hear them banging away as they were doing their work.
Ever since that day I’ve been smelling a weird smell in one of the upstair attic-rooms. It was very thick and strong the day that I had the roof done. The smell is still hanging around stale in this room. It smells like exhaust. It makes the room a little hard to breathe in.

So what’s with this smell? Is it some kind of stale exhaust that came out of their equipment as they were working that is now lingering in the room? Is this some sort of bad sign? I’ve tried opening the window to air the room out, but the smell still lingers, and I come home to hang out in this room and I keep smelling this stale odor. It’s hard to peacefully sleep or breathe. I dont think this smell is coming from outside. My road has a fair amount of cars driving on it, but this smell only came the day when I had the roof redone. A downstairs room smelled a little bit like this too when I had the roof redone, but it went away.

admin answers:

Clearly, something is wrong. You should have your new roof and attic and room inspected by an independent home inspector to determine the source of the smell.

Best wishes and good luck.

Michael asks…

My boss is using me. How do I stand up and ask for more money?

Just started working with my wife as managers of an apartment complex 4 months ago. We get free rent and a salary on top of that. We get to paint our apartment, and decorate however we please. We wrote up a contract describing our job description but in our busy schedules, niether the owner or ourselves have had the time to sign it. Now I’m getting all kinds of things added to my list of maintenance duties that were never discussed. Formica, flooring, and for the next month, I’m up on the roof helping out a roofing company tear off old shingles and roof decking… I’m not getting paid anymore. And I still have to do maintenance on the rest of the complex, run a commercial pool, and walk the property for trash… not to mention other manager duties.

admin answers:

Even with a job description he could ask you to do this. You could say yes, or no; depending on various things but its up to you to say no if you can’t/ won’t do these things.

If you don’t want to do some stuff, just tell the roofing contractor you are busy – then I’d clear out of the building. If the flooring is something the boss asked you to do directly, either do it or tell him you can’t because you are busy, but you’d be happy to get a company to take care of it. Or, just tell him this is not something the two of you agreed to, but you would be willing to do it for XXX dollars.

He has the option of getting a new building manager if he doesn’t think you are doing enough, but its hard to find good building managers. Of course you have the option of getting a new job (acting as manager at a different building) but it can be hard to find good work too. Anyhow, he is just trying to get extra work from you, can’t really blame him for trying. You’ve got to stand up for yourself, within reason, or just accept this as part of the job and do it.

Nancy asks…

Roofing contractor asked if it’s ok if he uses pick-up truck instead of dumpster?

We had agreed on a dumpster in the contract; I had it checked by an attorney and we signed it; and right afterwards he asked me if it’s ok if he uses his pickup truck instead of paying for a dumpster. I was a bit surprised and thought about it for a few minutes, then agreed that it was ok. My reasoning was that as long as he got rid of the old shingles, why should I care how he does it? If I can save him a few bucks and he’s happier with the job; all the better – yes? Am I missing something?

—btw thanks for answering this and my previous questions about roofing; you’ve been VERY helpful.
Would they have put a tarp on the ground with a dumpster? Or would it have been easier for them to chuck them in the dumpster?
Marko – that may be true; but if he’s going to skim off the job (I assume they all do) I’d rather have it be something I know about and ultimately doesn’t affect me (assuming he cleans up as he said he would)…agree?
Marko – I am inclined to agree with you on all points
Gordon – good point; I did consider that
Mike – excellent points

admin answers:

What most of the replies here have overlooked is that the contractor will have to work to unload the used materials. He will also have expenses associated with hauling the materials to a dump. And he will have to pay the dump to unload the waste there. Had he paid to have a dumpster on location, the dumpster company would have incurred these expenses and reaped the profit from hauling the materials to the dump.

There should be no difference in the way the materials are handled at your house other than the contractor may have to make more than one trip to the dump where a dumpster may have allowed for only one trip.

Allow the contractor to make the profit instead of the dumpster company as long as the waste materials are legally disposed of.

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Your Questions About Shingles

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Joe Homps

Donna asks…

is it ok to take clomid when you are under treatment of shingles?

im on my 6th day taking anti viral medicine for my shingles, and on my 7th day(last day of taking medicine) im supposed to take clomid. is it safe to take clomid while im still under treatment? will it do any harm?

admin answers:

Phone NHS Direct 0845 4647
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/
they should be able to help and it will be quicker than getting hold of you GP.

Sandra asks…

What is the difference between treatment of shingles and…?

Long Term untreated shingles? Also what are the different treatments? I have seen so many doctors about this I now have sever PHM (nerve damage) but most doctors have no understanding on PHN or long term shingles? Please help….

admin answers:

This is a big problem for long term sufferers of shingles which is herpies Zolster. It first appears normaly when you are young in form of chicken pox. But stress or imune deficency or alchohol can all contribute to shingles hsowing back up.

Short term shingles.
Get to a doctor within 2 days to less than 2 weeks.then take the anti viral they giv you. Thay may also give you antidepressent and vicodine. And you may neeed sleep medicne also.

For log term shingles and PHN
anti-virals dont normaly work in this case. And you probably have developeed PHN (post herpnatic nerolga) this is because herpies zolster is a virus that attaks the nerves in the skin. It can also effect nerves in deigestive track. SO DONT DRINK ALCHOHOL till you are sure you are rid of it. The best treeatment for thepain of PHN (which can be very painfull) is Lidocain Patch, Vicodine, and Valium, buut doctors rarely prescribe valium (dorks – even on the American pain foundation they say that docs should not worry about addiction to these drugs. The main reason is the Pain is severe. Xanax or Valium work best for the restlesness at nighttime. The lidocain patch works great with no side effects and I recommend it most. But there is also Neurontrine it is for anticonvulsion medicine but works great for limiting the pain. I had shingles for 10 years and went 6 years before i saw a doctor. But it was too late for anti viral and I ended up with a doc who prescribe acyclovar (anti-viral) but because mit was way to late I ended up breaking out around my eyes and eybrows and it was very painfull and took a month to go away. I finally had to stop the anti viral and since have not had severe break outs of shingles.

Richard asks…

Anyone know an effective treatment for Shingles?

My elderly aunt has been suffering from shingles for over a year. Her doc said it would clear by xmas but they are still there. The poor woman is suffering .

admin answers:

On the medical side of things, the others have answered better than I could. When I had shingles, though, there was another non-medical treatment that helped a lot … Visits from friends. Hard to deal with times are so much easier to overcome when there is support

(although my mates were cracking so many jokes, I would be “ha ha ha ouch …. Ha ha ha ouch”)

Just let her know she is not forgotten

Michael asks…

What is a good treatment for shingles and are there any preventive measures to stop it in the future?

admin answers:

How is shingles treated?
There is no cure for shingles, but treatment may shorten the length of illness and prevent complications. Treatment may include:

Antiviral medications, sometimes in combination with corticosteroids, to reduce the pain and duration of shingles.
Pain medications, antidepressants, and topical creams to relieve long-term pain.

There is more information provided by clicking on the link below.

Maria asks…

Does anyone know of a homeopathic treatment for shingles?

My mom was recently diagnosed and they have given her all these prescriptions with scary possible side effects.

admin answers:

You have NO idea just how much pain your Mom is in. Shingles is a scary, debilitating disease for adults. Your Mom needs all the meds they’ve prescribed. Don’t f*ck with the doctor’s orders.

If you really want to help your Mom, then become very learned on Shingles, and maybe help teach her how important it is to follow her prescribed treatment.

Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingles

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Your Questions About Shingles

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Joe Homps

Ken asks…

facebook???????

in your opinion do you think a facebook is safe.. i am not allowed to have a myspace but what makes a facebook safe? and how is it not safe?

admin answers:

Facebook is quite safe. You can alter your privacy settings so only your friends can see your profile, and if you don’t want some of your friends seeing everything, you can give them limited access to your profile.

Donald asks…

Facebook?!!!!!!!!!!!?

Is it just my computer or is Facebook messed up tonight? My computer lets me log on put then when I get to the main page everything is messed up and I cant see the posts by other people…? When I got on Facebook from my phone, everything worked but it was in a different format? What’s up?? Thanks :]

admin answers:

I am having the same problem. Im not sure what is going on. I was on earlier today and it was fine. I hope someone finds out and fixes it lol.

Richard asks…

FACEBOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

what do you like most about facebook and y do you go on it for?
everyone goes on about it whats the big deal??

admin answers:

I love Facebook! I’ve reconnected with people I’d lost touch with and I’ve connected with a load of new people too.

I like FB for the games and other applications and find it is just very enjoyable but it’s all to do with personal preference really. Some people love it and some don’t.

Mandy asks…

FacebooK!………..

If you have facebook then answer this for me! Ok. Everyone should know that they have a new version out of facebook. Well…if you don’t ya do now! But, I was just wondering do they let you have layouts/backgrounds yet?! Because I reallly want one so i’m hoping but, i’m not sure. So just please help! Thank You! 😀

admin answers:

Not with this new version. So you can’t change it like on myspace yet.

Nancy asks…

FaceBook ?? ……….?

How do u no if someone visited u on facebook or saw ur pics?
i have the new version of facebook but i cant find that thing D:

admin answers:

You can’t they won’t be notified nor will you be notified if they saw your pictures or profile or vs that the beauty of facebook

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Your Questions About Shingles

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Joe Homps

Donald asks…

Who can be my Dr. House? I have a mystery illness…?

I will make this as short as possible. I am a 26 yr old female, in good shape and eat well. Ive had my gallbladder and appendix out. In march I came down with shingles (horrible pain). Two months later I had it again (sick all the while in between with every passing illness). In june I had a horrible sinus infection thing (maybe flu), I made lobster for my husband while I was recovering and had an anaphylactic reaction to it. Went to the doc to get tested, and had anaphylaxis from that. I had recurrent reaction 4 hours later when the meds wore off, then again in walmart days later from no known allergen. They put me on steroids, which took 6 weeks to taper off of and I was so sick I couldnt hardly do anything the whole time. I have had shingles twice again since. Every three weeks I get sick as a dog. I have this recurring illness no one can explain. Here are my symptoms

-Swollen glands (esp on the right side, and my face swells on the right side when I sleep)
-Ringing in my right ear, which comes and goes
-Extreme fatigue, I am falling asleep sitting up when I slept great lastnight!
-Stress intolerance
-Tight lungs, I feel like I am having a constant mild asthma attack
-Wierd symptom, but the asthma attack thing and coughing happens worse just before every bowel movement.
-Joint pain, most especially wrists and knees. Much worse when I am tired.
-Muscle aches, mainly lower back and legs
-Random low grade fevers (99.0-99.6 and Im normally in the 97.’s)
-Panic attacks (which I have never had before all of this)
-Skin flushing
-Pain where my liver is, and it is very tender to palpation
-Chest pain, bilateral. Only prominent when all of my glands swell (esp inguinal glands which make it difficult to walk when they hurt so bad)

I currently have all of these, but I now also have developed this skin rash I have had for two weeks. It looks like measles or roseola, but is not either. My primary care doc doesnt know what it is.

Here are my labs
CBC, CMP are fine, all within limits
ANA neg x 3 checks
Urine HIAA normal, but chromagranin A 86, then recheck 61.
Rheumatoid factor of 11, normal is below 10. But most people don’t have it at all.
All other autoimmune labs are normal
Serum tryptase (for mast cell disorders) is normal
Halter monitor shows PAC’s and PVC’s, but I was cleared for cardiac
Lung function tests shows 9% improvement with meds, indicating bronchospasms
Labs are still out for lyme disease and chronic mono

My mom has Sjogren’s, which they said is a big possibility for me. But the rheumatologist just blew me off and told me to come back in a couple of years so my labs will be more indicative. Frustrating.

In between these spells, I feel about 90%. Not much really bothers me and I have tons of energy, as I have my whole life. But every couple of weeks I am convinced I am dying of something. I am miserable, and it is really effecting my life. Then it goes away and I am okay. Someone tell me they have been through this and survived!!!
By the way, the specialist I have been to include
my primary care doc
2 allergy specialist
an endocrinologist
a rheumatologist
a cardiologist
I am asking because they are stumped

admin answers:

A lot of people have been through this (or similar) and survived.

Sounds an awful lot like Lyme disease. But the test they gave you (the ELISA) may well come back negative–because that test is highly unreliable, and often comes back negative, even when the person most definitely has Lyme disease.

Recommend you read up at the following websites and see if anything here rings a bell for you:

Good sources of info about Lyme disease:
http://www.lymedisease.org

Home

CanLyme


http://www.lymeinfo.net
http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org
http://www.lymenet.org
http://www.igenex.com
http://www.lymedoctor.com
http://www.touchedbylyme.org
http://www.facebook.com/lymedisease.org

Maria asks…

Juvenile dermatomyositis?

About 6 months ago, my daughter had been complaining of her knees hurting when she would run or go up or down stairs. She is 13. I truly thought this was not a big deal, but soon after a strange rash appeared on one of her arms. I made an appointment with her doctor and before the appointment I looked on webmd which gave a few possibilities that I felt I needed to mention to her doctor. Juvenile dermatomyositis was one of them. The doctor quickly dismissed my question stating that any internet search was not worth my time or hers. She was diagnosed with shingles for the rash, and vague syndrome for the knees. Backing up a couple years….when she was 7, I had removed two different tiny lumps which looked like rocks from her face and forehead. Then most recently, one from her back and one from the top of her scalp. I found out that these “calcium deposits” if thats what they are, are also symptoms of this disease in question. So I would like to hear from someone who has advice…
I cannot change doctors until January because of my insurance, do you know of anyone with this disease? Or does anyone have any advice on how to get my daugther evalutated outside of her doctor’s office? I discovered that the rash, the sore knees and the calcium deposits are all symptoms of Juvenile dermatomyositis. Thanks for any help. I hope to hear serious answers.

admin answers:

OK- first of all, your websearch is great, but it will help in making a diagnosis only if you use your common sense, so lets see how your daughter’s symtpms really stack up to dermatomyositis.

She had pain running up stairs, shes 13. Dermatomyositis is a muscle disease- proximal muscle WEAKNESS is the hallmark, along with tender muscles (usually VERY tender- making use of them impossible) is the rule. Was that the case with her? Or did she just have tenderness below her knees like 30% of teens with Osgood-Schlatter’s do? Dermatomyosistis is a chronic disease which has recurring symptoms. If it was “not a big deal”, if she was doing daily activities normally except maybe for running up stairs, its wasnt likely to be myositis at all.

Now her rash: the characteristic rash of dermatomysitis, the heliotrope rash is very distinctive: its a purplish, reddish rash that is symmetrical and around the eyes. You mentioned nothing about this. It would be unusual to have dematomyositis without it. It looks nothing like the tender, one sided, blistered appearance of shingles.

Now- those little lumps- you are wondering whether they are Groton’s papules, the other most characteristic sign of dermatomyositis? Were they over the back of her hand, elbows or feet? No. Scalp involvement occurs, but its more like psoriasis.

Did she have calcinosis? These are firm, yellow or flesh colored nodules (that is over half a centimeter in size). “Tiny rocks” sounds like hardened sebum, not like calcinosis.

Finally, if you want to put your daughter’s symptoms together, she had a few skin lesions over six years and some brief knee pain when running up stairs. You are wondering whether this is a chronic disabling myositis?

If you cant answer the question now, then probably going to doctors wont help either.

Daniel asks…

need help w/ an unexplained illness my mom has been sick&i want your suggestions please read[long]?

my mom has been sick for almost
2 years with these symptoms that
no doctor or specialist can figure out.
im hoping to get peoples OPINIONS,
SUGGESTIONS, or possibility of having
SIMILAR symptoms. yes i know if doctors
cant figure out whats wrong why would you
guys…well sometimes doctors are just in it
for the money or are looking in all the wrong
places….others opinions and stuff help.

38 years old-good health, one
day felt sick.
she has smokes cig. for 24 years
[doctors always tell her to quite
shes tried, and she used to smoke 3-4
packs a day now she only smokes 1/2
or less a day]

DO NOT HAVE:
shingles
fiber miligia[spelt that wrong sorry]
nerve injury
[doctors already cleared those out.]

On major medications
but none completely
stop the pain

whats been done:
MRI
CT
Ultra sound
x-rays
[ALL NEGATIVE]

lab tests show inflammation
but not sure if that’s the issue

Symptoms:

severe burning-upper right quadrant
hot flashes
sensitivity to heat
[recent] small heart attack
stroke[i believe]
always tired
numbness[on and off]-face/arms/left leg
insomnia
salty taste in her mouth[especially when coughing, has been happening for a couple months now]

Also, during the summer when i was watching her, she
would have these weird little attacks, i think seizures,
but im not quite sure, they scared me though and
everything ended up leading to her heart attack but
that was a 1-2 months later if i remember right.

had to quite job because of pain.
if she moves too much [walking,doing laundry,
going to the store, getting up, almost anything]
she gets dizzy and pain increases.
blood pressure drops
severe swelling increases [during activity]
in her stomach and sometimes feet
gained 20-30 lbs since shes been sick
[weight changes up-down-up down]

hardly drinks soda
mainly drinks tea[lipton/japanese tea]
also drinks plenty of water

has had 3 periods a month
for about 4-5 months now.

she was never overly stressed
or depressed, has always been a
very happy-active fun woman
no reasons for her being this way.

seen over a dozen doctors/specialists
stanford university dismissed her
because they couldnt figure out
what was wrong.
pain management was their only source
she tried it. it made her worse.

p.s. shes not a drug addict or drinker.
the pills she takes are prescribed
and takes only the amount given.
she doesnt want to be on dozens of meds.
so she doesnt abuse the use of having them.

the doctors are going to be checking her for
lupus and MS i believe it was soon. and i
was researching a bit and ive also posted
this info. earlier but doing it again and i
found that her symptoms are much like
lyme and hypothyroidism and she hasnt had
a trigger point test done. but she plans on
telling her doctor these things when she
sees her.

my e-mail is:[if needing more info or whatever]
emotionalnites@aol.com

admin answers:

I have a couple questions….

Is she overweight?
Does or did she drink?
When was her last GYN exam? She needs one and an ultrasound re: vaginal bleeding (to rule out ovarian cancer)

Here’s the issue – a 39yo female who has had a heart attack was NOT in healthy condition to begin with (whatever her outward appearance/activity level), especially with the heavy smoking. Heart disease in women tends to be very silent and atypical (abdominal pain, sour taste have been reported in female MIs)

The little seizures sounds like TA – basically small strokes. Significant vessel damage could cause all of the associated symptoms. What was the treatment following the heart attack? Does she have a stent, on meds, etc…?

MS and Lupus are certainly options as is hypothyroidism (the labs for that would be T3, T4, TSH, etc – should have been one of the first run to rule out), I would also be concerned about cancer or heart disease. Heart disease would be the one thing I would want to rule out first.

Has she had cardiac tests done? There are a variety.

She needs a cardiologist if she doesn’t have one already. And I think she probably needs to be more specific about describing the “pain” From what you write, it doesn’t sound like generalized pain it sounds more like exertion induced pain – which tends to be heart/lung oriented.

Good luck

PS – I would have her stop the teas – tea is a diuretic and could cause problems if she is drinking a great deal.

Donna asks…

my mom is sick w/ an unexplained illness, please read[long]. can you give me your opinion please?

my mom has been sick for almost
2 years with these symptoms that
no doctor or specialist can figure out.
im hoping to get peoples OPINIONS,
SUGGESTIONS, or possibility of having
SIMILAR symptoms. yes i know if doctors
cant figure out whats wrong why would you
guys…well sometimes doctors are just in it
for the money or are looking in all the wrong
places….others opinions and stuff help.

38 years old-good health, one
day felt sick.
she has smokes cig. for 24 years
[doctors always tell her to quite
shes tried, and she used to smoke 3-4
packs a day now she only smokes 1/2
or less a day]

DO NOT HAVE:
shingles
fiber miligia[spelt that wrong sorry]
nerve injury
[doctors already cleared those out.]

On major medications
but none completely
stop the pain

whats been done:
MRI
CT
Ultra sound
x-rays
[ALL NEGATIVE]

lab tests show inflammation
but not sure if that’s the issue

Symptoms:

severe burning-upper right quadrant
hot flashes
sensitivity to heat
[recent] small heart attack
stroke[i believe]
always tired
numbness[on and off]-face/arms/left leg
insomnia
salty taste in her mouth[especially when coughing, has been happening for a couple months now]

Also, during the summer when i was watching her, she
would have these weird little attacks, i think seizures,
but im not quite sure, they scared me though and
everything ended up leading to her heart attack but
that was a 1-2 months later if i remember right.

had to quite job because of pain.
if she moves too much [walking,doing laundry,
going to the store, getting up, almost anything]
she gets dizzy and pain increases.
blood pressure drops
severe swelling increases [during activity]
in her stomach and sometimes feet
gained 20-30 lbs since shes been sick
[weight changes up-down-up down]

hardly drinks soda
mainly drinks tea[lipton/japanese tea]
also drinks plenty of water

has had 3 periods a month
for about 4-5 months now.

she was never overly stressed
or depressed, has always been a
very happy-active fun woman
no reasons for her being this way.

seen over a dozen doctors/specialists
stanford university dismissed her
because they couldnt figure out
what was wrong.
pain management was their only source
she tried it. it made her worse.

p.s. shes not a drug addict or drinker.
the pills she takes are prescribed
and takes only the amount given.
she doesnt want to be on dozens of meds.
so she doesnt abuse the use of having them.

the doctors are going to be checking her for
lupus and MS i believe it was soon. and i
was researching a bit and ive also posted
this info. earlier but doing it again and i
found that her symptoms are much like
lyme and hypothyroidism and she hasnt had
a trigger point test done. but she plans on
telling her doctor these things when she
sees her.

my e-mail is:[if needing more info or whatever]
emotionalnites@aol.com

admin answers:

Your mom’s doctors may have already ruled this out but, has your mother been tested for autoimmune conditions. The specific condition I am thinking of is called Sjogren’s Syndrome. The reason I suspect Sjogren’s is primarily because of the salty taste in her mouth. Sjogren’s hallmark symptoms are dry mouth and dry eyes. You said that your mom drinks plenty of water, is this because she has a dry mouth? Sjogren’s would also explain the salty taste. Sjogren’s attacks the salivary glands in your mom’s mouth altering their ability to secret saliva properly. Heavly concentrated saliva tastes salty.
Sjogren’s causes dryness of other organs specifically the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, liver, blood vessels, pancreas, and brain. Many patients experience debilitating joint pain and fatigue.
Your mother’s hot flashes, sensitivity to heat, numbness, insomnia, “seizures” could all be explained by Sjogren’s attacking her brain.
Your mother’s severe burning in her upper right quadrant could be vasculitis (you said her blood work showed inflammation) caused by Sjogren’s. Her heart attack and stroke could also be due to Sjogren’s attacking her blood vessels. Her periods could also be explained by the Sjogren’s attacking the pituitary gland in her brain.
The swelling in her ankles could be due to Sjogren’s attacking her liver causing fluid to accumulate in her ankles (edema).
What is really interesting is that 90% of Sjogren’s cases occur in women and the average age of onset is 40 years old. Sjogren’s can be very difficult to diagnose because its symptoms imitate numerous other illnesses. About 50% of the time Sjogren’s syndrome occurs alone, and 50% of the time it occurs in the presence of another connective tissue disease. The four most common diagnoses that co-exist with Sjogren’s syndrome are Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus, Systemic Sclerosis (scleroderma) and Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis. I fell very confident that your mother doesn’t have lyme disease, if she did you would notice the large hallmark bulls eye shaped rash.

I hope this has helped and that your mother feels better. Please let me know if the doctors can confirm my suspicions.

George asks…

Help from any doctors or anyone in medical profession please!?

My mums was being treated for ear infection and the left side of her face dropped almost stroke like, a brief stay in hospital diagnosed her with ramsey hunts disease. However the right side of her face has now dropped and the doctors in hospital said it cant be ramsey hunt disease as the shingles virus wouldnt be able to spread from the left to th right. Her last CT scan came back clear and she had an MRI scan today which we are awaiting results. However staff at the hopital are flumuxed by her symptoms as they are so unusual. She has been ruled out for stroke. Can you suggest anything, im looking around basically to give the doctors anything to look into. The ward neuro ward she has been placed on is ridiculously busy and its taking ages for them to do anything, 3 days for an MRI!! Please help.

admin answers:

Dystonia ????

Could be a possible – this has to do with the muscles and sudden relaxing – go to www.netdoctor.co.uk and type in Dystonia in the search box.

Not saying it is – just remembered reading about it a while back and the face dropping forward etc etc – although it can affect any part of the body.

What did strike a cord with me was when you said doctors were ‘flumuxed’………as most doctors do not know about or haven’t seen Dystonia

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Your Questions About Shingles

Posted on September 18, 2011 by Joe Homps

Linda asks…

I have shingles in my scalp for the past 20 years. Unlike shingles on the waist,they are not visible outside.?

They are on 75 percent of the area.I have tried various treatments such as L-Lysine, Neurontine etc.
My doctor told me there is no treatment for shingles. Since they are blisters, which are about 1/4 inch deep inside. They cause me severe pain and I feel nauseated. Now I am using my crude method, i.e. I pierce the affected area with lancet and release the blood, this reduces the pain for couple of days, but they come right back. I am 65 and get easily upset when shingles hurt.
I am looking for any kind of information, specially if anyone has experience with any natural treatment such as herbs. Any smallest information would help. Please

admin answers:

Check this out:

The 100% pure essential oils of Shingles No More have the remarkable ability to penetrate into the cell membranes to provide a wide spectrum of action against the herpes virus.

The oils are lipophilic, meaning soluble in fatty tissue and cell membranes. As a result, according to Dr. Deininger, upon exposure to the herpes virus, the oils in Shingles No More “cause a specific change in the viral receptor sites…and so prevent absorption of the viruses” thus “providing a broad spectrum of activity against the herpes virus.”

This unique action also provides elimination of pain in the nerve endings.

Shingles No More shortens the course of painful symptoms, minimizes blister formation, and speeds healing.

Goto this web site:

http://www.fonoils.com/shinglesnomore.html?source=GOOG&keyword=%5Bshingles%5D

Here is another site you might want to check:

http://www.zynoxin.com/?gclid=CLqFxKe-mIMCFQGcJAodNiocOw

I hope this helps….

Don

Donald asks…

I have shingles, please help determine how long.?

The shingles started phisically appearing a day ago, I got painkillers, stereroids, and an actual treatment. It’s on my leftjawline and under my chin, and I’m not going through the pain that others are discribing, but it does hurt alot.

I wanted to go somewhare in 4 days from now, but I know it’s not going to be gone by then, but can anyone predict how long it will be before it’s gone?

admin answers:

Before a rash is visible, the patient may notice several days to a week of burning pain and sensitive skin. Before the rash is visible, it may be difficult to determine the cause of the often severe pain. Shingles start as small blisters on a red base, with new blisters continuing to form for three to five days. The blisters follow the path of individual nerves that comes out of the spinal cord (called a dermatomal pattern). The entire path of the nerve may be involved or there may be areas with blisters and areas without blisters. Generally, only one nerve level is involved. Eventually, the blisters pop, and the area starts to ooze. The affected areas will then crust over and heal. The whole process may take three to four weeks from start to finish. On occasion, the pain will be present but the blisters may never appear.

Nancy asks…

What is causing mouth drooping on one side?

I suddenly developed a droop on the left side of my mouth yesterday. Also dry eye on that side. I have no pain and no problems with my arms or legs. No dizziness or confusion. I have been battling with boils and shingles for a year. And I am one of those few people who has no rash from the shingles, only the pain. My doctor tried me with 2 different antiviral medications for the shingles a year ago, with little results. So the only medication I’m currently taking is codeine for the occasional bouts of pain.

Except for the way I look, issues eating & drinking and using Artificial Tears for the dry eye, I feel fine. I have no medical insurance and no money for additional Rx beyond my codeine. I still can’t pay the doctor or ER for the shingles treatment.

Does this sound like a stroke? I am 59, but I’m not really ready to die today. 🙁
Yes, the mouth droop and the eyelid droop are on the same side.
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who has had this, and that everyone doesn’t automatically suggest stroke and a visit to the ER. Whew! I will check into Bell’s Palsy.
UPDATE – I finally reached my doctor yesterday, and he agrees with the Bell’s Palsy. He wants to see me today, just to be sure I didn’t miss any symptoms, but I’m so glad it isn’t something more serious, like a stroke. Thank you.

admin answers:

Sounds really familiar. I had that problem when I was about 16. I had no pain but half my face just seemed dead. Went to the doctor and they told me I had Bells Palsy. It’s caused by stress and they prescribed me steroids and my face was back to normal within a few days.
So I’d suggest going to the Dr. 🙂 Also, maybe look up Bells Palsy on google or something just to read more symptoms and get a better idea. Hope I helped!

Lisa asks…

Husband had severe outbreak shingles (face&head) brought on due to weaken immune from remicade, was scary?

first 3 days, is now out of hospital sores are healing but there is nerve damage to face he is suffering from pain due to whatshingles do to nerve endings and we knew to expect this, my ? is he seems to become addled and confused stumbling and disoriented talking as if tounge is swollen or something and at times making no sense,does anyone know if this normal? also was told vision might be affected by this once swelling was down, he did not lose his sight was fuzzy at first but it did come back but 2 times since released he has lost total vision in the eye and then came back several hours later, is this normal? we have Doc appts. this afternoon and I a m just trying to educate myself on all there is to know, especially since it took 3 visits to ER before they finally got it. I was very adament on each trip that he suffered from Ankoylosing Spondylitus and Chrohns disease and was receiving remicade treatments which suppresed immune system. shingles is RARE side effect of remicade. TY
hypoxic? please explain. Believe me I have no faith in Docs havent for a long time he has done way more suffering than needed and I truly believe if the Docs cared more about him then the almighty buck or getting sued or fighting with Ins co. things would not be such a life of hell for him, I know there are some Docs out there who care (we had one til he moved out state a yr ago that made house calls when hubby was to sick to go to him at no extra charge who also gave me his home # in case of emergencys but we all know that is not the norm and we will never find that in a Doc again.

admin answers:

Sounds like your husband has Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Please look this up on the web and see if the symptoms fit. If it is he needs to be treated with large doses of steroids. Good Luck.

Michael asks…

I’d like to know a bit more about why I get shingles so often, I’m only 25!?

When I was 9 months old I caught the chicken pox from my brother, my mum says I got it really bad. Then later on, these blisters would appear from time to time, on my left upper cheek. I was probably 1 and a half years or so. My parents brought me to tons of doctor’s and no one would could properly diagnose this or they couldn’t get the proper treatment for it. Most creams they would prescribe just didn’t work well. So they are from Portugal originally and we made frequent trips over there so they found a really good specialist that prescribed a really good ointment that treated the blisters most effectively.
So I got these blisters over my lifetime once or twice a year, usually when I went to Portugal or came back, the change in climate seemed to trigger it. It laid dormant till the age of 15. I guess with the hormonal changes plus the fact that we moved to Portugal for good, set it off. This time though, the area got really swollen and painful and the swelling ran down my neck where the nerve it. It just came on so violently. I went to see my specialist there, he stuck me with a shot I guess to substitute the antiviral pills that they give you here and gave me my ointment and that was the end of it. A week and a half later it cleared up as it did in the past.
At the age of 22, I vacationed in Bermuda, on my way back, I guess the change in climate set it off again, so it came back with a vengence! The pain was unbearable, couldn’t sleep, my face was horribly swollen on the one side and the blister would ooze.
Now I’m 25, and the little blister showed up again, yesterday morning and within 24 hours. started oozing and swollen and the nerve there down my neck is so swollen and painful.
So I’m back on the meds for it and I guess my big question is… Is it normal to have this so often in my lifetime? And why does it come on so strong as I’m getting older? Should I be seeing a specialist here and have my files sent over so it can be better analyzed? The doctor today said that since I know what it is that it isn’t necessary to see a specialist cuz it’s not curable, I just have to get the meds to treat it.

This is just so unfair!

admin answers:

This does not sound like typical shingles. I’d start seeing specialists to find out for sure what this is, or at least find a specialist who can test and say for certain that it’s shingles. I’d be suspicious of any doctor who told me it wasn’t necessary for me to see another doctor — specialist or otherwise. I’ve found that good doctors usually welcome second opinions and are not offended and do not advise against it.

I noticed that you got flares of this around the time you’d travel. Did you have to get vaccinations before the trips? Over-stimulating the immune system (such as with vaccines) has been increasingly linked with all kinds of auto-immune disorders, and it stands to reason that it could be setting off whatever it is that you have.

So my advice is yes, see a specialist. Get a second opinion, a third, and even a fourth if necessary. You’re young, and if this is something that can be cured or even managed, you want to find it.

Good luck, hope this helped a little…

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Your Questions About Shingles

Posted on September 17, 2011 by Joe Homps

Carol asks…

I feel like I am being rushed out of Dr. visits because of my age and I feel like I have a serious disease?

Im a 23 yr old female, and i feel like i have a disease that has been overlooked over the years. How should i get the dr.s to take me serious?
I was recently diagnosed with shingles and i told my dr that i had some other concerns. She said on my next visit will discuss them. But I also have headaches, raynauds disease, severe joint pain, ezcema, stomach issues, anxiety and i am sick all the time. Im afraid that i may have something that is attacking my immune system.. do i sound like a freak.. or should I be concerned?
I know Im not a hypochondriac because the other conditions have been diagnosed by other doctors… I just feel like they are overlooking something

admin answers:

Have you consulted with a endocrinologist or a Gastroentrologist
at least see another Internal Med Physician to be on the safe side

you dont have to feel like you are being ignored

over the years I talked and talked to a family Md
oh, I had this
oh, I had that ( diagnosis) with a pat on the head
“be a good girl” talking down to me

I got a 2nd opinion
a 3rd opinion
a 4th opinion
saw a Psychiatrist thinking I must be going crazy- its all in my head
etc
the last MD finally listened to me ,diagnosed my problem, we set up a treatment plan of attack and I am finally feeling better

David asks…

Do you know anyone with Shingles?

So.. apparently my grandpa has shingles. I find this odd. That man has more diseases than Whitney Houston and Paris Hilton combined.

admin answers:

Whitney & Paris combined? Oh dear LOL!

Yeah, I know a guy with shingles…my Dad (he’s a roofer).

LMFAO. 😀

Maria asks…

Shingles at age 15? Is that bad?

I had shingles at age 15, and my doctor was mystified. But he didnt do any tests, he just ave me cream and it went away in a week. But recently Ive read up on it, and I want to know if I should be worried about being less immune to diseases and what they are.

admin answers:

Shingles can show up at any age… I knew a girl who had them in high school, so it certainly happens. Your immune system may just have been compromised temporarily by something else (exhaustion, infection, stress etc) and it made you suceptible. I wouldn’t worry at this point that you have an immune problem unless you start to build a history of odd illnesses.

Nancy asks…

I have just been told I have shingles?

I understand it may be due to a low immune system. Is there any way I can improve my immunity to stop catching any other diseases or medical problems

admin answers:

Try a proven immune booster like Immune Alert.

My family takes this supplement, made from an extract from baker’s yeast (called beta glucan) and loves it.

Go to www.immunealert.com and get a free trial.

Lisa asks…

need help in science plz help me?

Is shingles a disease that is a viruse or a bacterial disease?

admin answers:

Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash — also known as herpes zoster.

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